BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — In response to a wave of federal immigration enforcement actions, community advocates in Kern County are raising alarms over what they describe as threats to civil liberties and public safety.
- A protest is planned for Saturday at the Liberty Bell in downtown Bakersfield, part of a series of demonstrations nationwide aimed at challenging recent immigration policies.
- Organizers say the protest will highlight not just legal concerns, but also the impact on everyday working families, especially in the Central Valley’s agricultural sector.
In response to a wave of federal immigration enforcement actions, community advocates in Kern County are raising alarms over what they describe as threats to civil liberties and public safety.
“This does not feel like our America,” said Audrey Chavez, one of the organizers with the Immigration Justice Collaborative.
Attorneys with the IJC warned that not only are the raids sowing fear, but new federal policies — including efforts to share immigrants’ personal health information with deportation authorities — could have dangerous consequences.
“You know, people that need medical care — if they are aware that their personal information is going to be disseminated to federal authorities — they’re not going to go to the doctor, they’re not going to go to the hospital,” said H.A. Sala, a co-founder of the IJC.
Lawyers argue that many of the administration’s immigration-related executive orders have already been ruled unconstitutional by the courts.
“The judge said the president has authority that is limited by the Constitution,” Sala noted. “That is the difference between a constitutional government and King George.”
A protest is planned for Saturday at the Liberty Bell in downtown Bakersfield, part of a series of demonstrations nationwide aimed at challenging recent immigration policies. Organizers say the protest will highlight not just legal concerns, but also the impact on everyday working families, especially in the Central Valley’s agricultural sector.
“We have so many farm workers and working families being affected,” Chavez said.
Local attorney and co-founder of the IJC David Torres recalled childhood memories of immigration sweeps during harvests. “On the second to the last day, we would be invaded by the immigration officers, because they knew the harvest was over. That’s happening here.”
President Trump has said he would sign an executive order to protect farm and hotel workers from immigration raids, but local organizers argue many of those already targeted had no criminal record.
Legal observers and law enforcement officers are expected to monitor the protest to protect First Amendment rights and prevent potential conflict.
“Let them exercise their rights, but we have to remain calm, remain focused, and obey our laws,” Torres said. “And in the event of an escalation, our job is to deescalate.”
Organizers hope the protest will help counter misinformation and reaffirm democratic principles.
“What they have done is inspire hope — to insist that our constitutional rights be upheld,” Chavez said.
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